Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-09-21
I~S ~esA
IA MAN FIT TO FIGHT.
THE WORK OF PUTTING Him IN
PROPER PHYSICAL CONDITION.

PROPER PHYSICAL CONDITION.
Radical Difference Between the Old and
the New Methods of Training-Severs
Purgatives No Longer Emp1oyed-Not
Restricted in Diet.
There is radical difference between the
new and the old methods of training men for
athletic contests. The change has largely been
made in the past twenty five years, and those
who have made it declare that the new way
Is vast improvement on the old, inasmuch
as it is in accordance with the latest and best
medical understanding, and enables man to
be brought to the very perfection of health,
strength and endurance with the least posi-
bic strain upon his system and the minimum
Of danger to his stamina.
In nothing is the change more perceptible
than in the manner Of training pugilists The
old school fighter was, az rule, freer liver
than the modern type. He fed high when he
could and be drank hard and steadily. Con-
seQuently his system was nominally gross,
and he required a good deal of preparation to
tit him for long and arduous contest. There
were no four round "battles" in his day.
When he SHE'D his castor into a twenty-four
foot ring and followed it in person he
knew that there was no leaving that ring
until either he or his competitor was licked,
or until both were so exhausted that neither
could strike blow. Prize fighting was Sc
rious matter in those days, and those who en-
gagged in it made serious preparations for it
or rued their negligence in defeat
IN THE OLD DAYS.
In the old days the first step in training
was to physic man thoroughly. Blue pills
were the favorite medium. Two, three or
four Of them, according to circumstances,
would be administered at night, and next
they would be followed by liberal
amount of ablack draught." This was largely
of EPSON salts and SIENNA, and such
like drastics In special cases this treatment
would be repeated two or three times for q
week, and when it was the man generally
wound up at its termination as weak as cat.
Then he would get light, nourishing food and
but moderate exercise until he recuperated.
Then, as now, work and diet were the two
great mediums employed to get man into
perfect condition. Much more work was
given them, however. A tighter would have
10 walk ten miles in the morning, and as
much in the afternoon, enveloped in heavy
iannels and thick outer clothing, and would
have to run tie last mile homo at the top OF
MS speed. Then he would be stripped, rubbed
Try with towels, bathed, dried and rubbed
Town well by hand.
Besides running long distances daily, and
being bathed and rubbed, the old time fighter
lad to spar with his trainer and to fight the
bag, swing dumb bells and in many other
ways take violent physical exercise. But it
vas in his diet that his training differed most
rom the modern system. Rich, rare beef
vas the standby Of his food. It was thought
hat thorough cooking destroyed the nutri-
ious qualities Of meat, so he got his steak
hardly more than warmed by the fire. aRed
'ags" was the slang name for It, and it was
Iptly descriptive. In Cribs day it was
erved to him on soup plate, and for gravy
10 had pint of heavy English ale. He got
10 pepper, salt or butter, no coffee or tea,
nd his bread was stale and hard as a rock.
Occasionally he got little mutton, but "red
ags" composed his steady diet. It was early
o bed and early to rise with him. He was
ept free from worry or fret, and this long
rotracted, rigid regimen often brought him
o the scratch fit to fight for kings life.
low severe this was may be inferred from
be fact that it was saying among those
rho underwent it that they would sooner
ght two men than train to fight one.
A MUCH EASIER TINE.
The fighters of today have a much easier
me of it, even when training to fight at an
greed on weight. To begin with severe pur-
atives are no longer employed in the pre-
aratory publication OF the system The
hysical exercises are more diversified and
re- not so severe, and sDarring is seldom or
ever INDUCED in. A man is presumed to
now how to fight when he is matched, and
lere is so much danger of hurting hands or
rms in mimic conflicts that they are care
lily avoided. But it is in the diet that the
rea.est change has been made In the first |
lace, with the exception Of pastry, fats, and
,ices, almost anything that agrees with a |
ian is allowed him, and his food is thor !
lghly and properly cooked. OF course be |
oes not get warm bread-that is unfit for |
ny human stomach, no matter how palata- |
le it may be- He is even permitted to use |
utter and pepper and salt sparingly, and all |
egetables that agree with him are consid- |
ed beneficial Potatoes make fat rapidly, |
he gets one only now and again,
nd then it is boiled, or, better still, baked. |
q is not encouraged to use water or other
guilds freely, yet he is permitted at all times
quench his natural thirst by drinking
oderate quantities of water There is de- |
re for liquids while training, which arises
ON O parched or feverish condition of the
outh and throat. This is relieved by gar
ing with water. In the older days men
'pt pebble in the mouth or piece of quill
tween the teeth to stimulate the flow Of
liva, and so keep the mouth and throat
DIST. 1t was not bad plan. but it was not
good as gargling.
The great John L. Sullivan revolutionized
ize fighting, and, in a measure, training at
e same time. A man who intends contest
& in a four round fight does not need the
me preparations that he would for a battle
finish. All he requires is TO get his wind
right, and be strong on his pins As
lie the heavier he is the better, as his weight
III prevent his being hustled about as be
inches. In the new even more than in the
method of treating the object is to have
man observe the rules Of health, to eat
oderately but sufficiently Of good, sound
Cd, TO take proper exercise in pure air, to
SP oa e4o"oio VchPei duo tame pienty oI
ep, and, above all things, to refrain re-
;iously from anything like excessive use Of
and TO abstain wholly from the
e Of tobacco.-New York Sun
The Sun Do Move
The Rev. John Jasper says he has ,
cached his famous .'.Sun do moven ser 4;
OF about 100 times. ~ preached it
ST. he says, Sin 1873 Since then I